cheap ND filters?

boudou701
Posted 02/08/2010 - 10:03 Link
Hello,

I would like to try using ND filters but they are very expensive! knowing that i wont probably use them very often, i was wondering if anyone had tried the cheap ones on ebay, £4.70 for a ND8 77mm!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250661868312&ssPageName=STR...

try or avoid?
Digital: KP, Film: KX, ME Super
Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6, Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, Pentax 16-85mm, Pentax DA 20-40 ltd
Pentax 21mm f3.2 ltd, Sigma 24mm f2.8 macro, Pentax 28mm f2.8, Pentax 35mm f2.8 macro, Pentax 43mm f1.9 LTD, Pentax 50mm FA f1.7, Pentax A 50mm f1.7, Pentax K 55mm f1.8, Pentax DA* 55mm f1.4
Metz 36 AF-4
thoughton
Posted 02/08/2010 - 10:36 Link
I've used Visico ones from ebay, they are a tiny bit more expensive than the one you've found but still very inexpensive compared to a well known brand. I've read reports on various forums saying the Visico ones are of reasonable quality. They seem okay to me, although I expect they probably do degrade IQ a bit more than an expensive one. I've only used them about 5 times in the last 6 months, here are some examples:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thoughton/4531402103/
(full size version here)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thoughton/4411396713/
(full size version here)
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Edited by thoughton: 02/08/2010 - 10:36
boudou701
Posted 02/08/2010 - 10:54 Link
thx for that, which one have you got?
there is only the ND2 available for 77mm

ND2 seems pretty useless, i think ND8 would be good as it's 3 stops - price wise it sounds good though (~ £12)

thx!
Digital: KP, Film: KX, ME Super
Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6, Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, Pentax 16-85mm, Pentax DA 20-40 ltd
Pentax 21mm f3.2 ltd, Sigma 24mm f2.8 macro, Pentax 28mm f2.8, Pentax 35mm f2.8 macro, Pentax 43mm f1.9 LTD, Pentax 50mm FA f1.7, Pentax A 50mm f1.7, Pentax K 55mm f1.8, Pentax DA* 55mm f1.4
Metz 36 AF-4
boudou701
Posted 02/08/2010 - 10:58 Link
found this otherwise... a bit more expensive (doesn't necessarly mean better quality!)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250661868312&ssPageName=STR...

brand is halda..?
Digital: KP, Film: KX, ME Super
Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6, Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, Pentax 16-85mm, Pentax DA 20-40 ltd
Pentax 21mm f3.2 ltd, Sigma 24mm f2.8 macro, Pentax 28mm f2.8, Pentax 35mm f2.8 macro, Pentax 43mm f1.9 LTD, Pentax 50mm FA f1.7, Pentax A 50mm f1.7, Pentax K 55mm f1.8, Pentax DA* 55mm f1.4
Metz 36 AF-4
thoughton
Posted 02/08/2010 - 11:02 Link
I bought a whole set of ND2, ND4 and ND8 in one listing (all 77mm), but both of those shots were with ND8 I think. I've never used the ND2.
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Edited by thoughton: 02/08/2010 - 11:04

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